In the midst of celebration, one mural protest raises questions about public art
By Jan Worth-Nelson While Flint residents for the most part seem to be enjoying the appearance over the last year of dozens of murals produced through the Flint Public Art Project (FPAP), work has stopped on one wall in Carriage Town because of a protest from its...
Review: Flint Writers Fest displays depth, diversity of Flint talent
By Harold C. Ford ‘Writing is the painting of the voice.” …Voltaire The latest iteration of a local festival that elevates the literary arts displayed the depth and diversity of Flint-based writers Sept. 13-14. This year, its third, the event premiered a new name,...
Kids, Mayor Weaver release 125 baby sturgeon, cousins of T-Rex, into Flint River
By Jan Worth-Nelson After a half hour of speeches in scalding sun, about 50 kids and their parents lined up for the main event at the Mott Park Recreation Area Saturday: one by one, reaching into a bucket of muddy water, gently cupping a six-inch long, slimy baby...
Review: Connor Coyne’s serial Flint allegory “Urbantasm” continues with”ambitious, authentic” Book Two
By Robert R. Thomas Flint author Connor Coyne’s Urbantasm is a serial novel composed of four books. Last year I read and reviewed Book One: The Dying City (EVM July 2, 2018). So surprised had I been by Coyne’s ambitious allegorical teen noir serial novel that I...
Briar Hill boil water advisory lifted
The following has just been issued by Candice Mushatt, the City of Flint's public information officer: "The City of Flint Director of Public Works, Rob Bincsik, reported Friday that crews have completed repairs on a water main break that triggered a...
Flint City Council committee meeting yields single vote, yelling, call to police
By Tom Travis The Flint City Council's Legislative Committee was the only committee to meet on Wednesday night, the day of the week when the council meets, usually outside the council chamber in a side room, to carry out various functions and consider resolutions in...
Attention Flint residents: City issues boil water advisory
Candice Mushatt just clarified this boil water advisory: THIS NOTICE IS FOR THE BRIAR HILL AREA (BETWEEN WESTWOOD PARKWAY AND PARKSIDE DRIVE) ONLY. The City of Flint issued this communique this morning, from Public Information Officer Candice Mushatt. Please see...
Review: “Gamma Rays” captures troubled family at The Rep through Sept. 22
By Patsy Isenberg Events in the lives of a dysfunctional family with mental health and medical problems and who are doomed financially are portrayed compellingly at The Flint Repertory Theatre (The Rep) in the play, "The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon...
Eight women and the natural world featured in Buckham Gallery “Field Work” show
By Jeffery L Carey, Jr. Buckham Gallery’s latest show, Field Work, highlights eight female artists, but Buckham's Exhibition Director Michele Leclaire asserted “it is not about being a female artist...an exhibition of this caliber should inspire all artists and art...
Immigrants’ contributions to Genesee County celebrated in Welcoming Week
By Jan Worth-Nelson Immigrants are helping offset population decline and contributed more than $100 million in taxes to Genesee County, according to a new national survey based on 2017 numbers. In recognition of those and other benefits of immigrants in the community,...
Carriage Town housing proposal draws protest; Fifth Ward residents speak out
By Tom Travis At its regular meeting Monday, Sept. 9, the Flint City Council declined to consider a resolution regarding a controversial affordable housing development in Carriage Town, after Councilperson Jerri Winfrey-Carter, whose ward includes the contested...
Motion to prevent hiring ombudsperson denied; process moving forward
By Melodee Mabbitt Seventh Judicial Circuit Court Judge F. Kay Behm denied a motion to prevent the hiring of an ombudsperson filed by Linda Pohly, a Flint resident with a complaint before the court alleging that the City of Flint failed to follow the Open Meetings...
Public hearing on Flint’s alleged failures to follow charter 10 a.m. Tuesday
TRO denied: see followup story here: By Melodee Mabbitt A hearing is scheduled at 10 am. tomorrow, Sept. 10, before Seventh Judicial Circuit Court Judge F. Kay Behm on the complaint filed by Linda Pohly alleging that the City of Flint failed to follow the...
East Village Magazine – September 2019
The latest issue of the East Village Magazine is available for download here:
Education Beat: Flint schools test scores show modest gain, still lag behind area, state averages
By Harold C. Ford Test scores for students in Flint Community Schools (FCS) showed modest gains in 2018-2019, but lagged significantly behind “similar students” and state averages, according to data released the last week of August by the Michigan Department of...
Flint City Council chaos continues: Mays and Gilcreast’s attorney face off
By Tom Travis Meeting in committee sessions Wednesday night, the Flint City Council’s attempt to get answers from City Hall about the handling of bids and rebids for restoration work following water pipeline replacement in the city ended in a shouting match between...
This Month in the Village: September Features
In the Village, the month of September features a car show, Bikes on the Bricks, The Artwalk, and much more: Click here for a larger view
Education Beat: Flint Schools launch balanced calendar as donated AC units help mitigate heat
By Harold C. Ford “We always talk about our kids being our most valuable resource, so let’s act like it.” -- Flint Mayor Karen Weaver at Brownell STEM Academy assembly upon delivery of donated air conditioners Aug. 20 Flint Community Schools (FCS) launched its newly...
99 years of women’s right to vote celebrated at Crossroads Village
By Paul Rozycki It’s been almost a century since women won the right to vote in the United States. The 99th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which granted women that long fought-for right, was commemorated Aug. 31, at Crossroads Village by nearly...
Commentary: Are Flint foundations replacing city government? Does it matter?
By Paul Rozycki Editor's Note: This story was updated Sept. 3 to clarify that the C.S. Mott Foundation, in the fourth year of its five-year $100 million water crisis commitment, has awarded $93.5 million. East Village Magazine's Mott Foundation grant is...
Flint City Council OKs Chevy Commons sale to Genesee County, rescinds ZMW lease, supports bid protest
By Luther Houle The Flint City Council voted Aug. 26 to sell Flint’s Chevy Commons to Genesee County for $6.2 million in a plan to restore and improve Flint’s riverside parks. The council also passed a resolution to rescind a lease with water bottling company...
StoryCorps “Listening Event” captured powerful, moving accounts of Flint lives
By Paul Rozycki As the StoryCorps wraps up its month-long stay in Flint, a "Listening Event" at the Flint Institute of Arts Aug. 29 shared remarkable tales of life in Flint: A story about a woman who met her birth mother for the first time. A story about an ex-con who...
News Brief: City Hall closed Monday; trash delayed one day next week
Flint City Hall will be closed Monday, Sept. 2 for the Labor Day holiday, It will reopen at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3, according to the City's public information officer Candice Mushatt. Because of the holiday, trash pickup will be delayed by one day next week....
Village Life: The Flint River dumped us, but we got a story (or two)
By Jan Worth-Nelson I told Sarah Carson the river would give us solace—that was how I talked her into it, for my part always wanting an accomplice in my adventures. Two writers who revel in sedentary hours alone. Two writers—one young, one old—rampantly hopeful...
Creating Sanctuary in Pierce Park: “To heal ourselves and heal the land”
By Melodee Mabbitt When Desiree Duell’s parents divorced, they sent her to weekend classes at the Flint Institute of Arts. It was there she learned that art could be very therapeutic. Now living and working in the College and Cultural Neighborhood, Duell’s latest art...
